| Mexican Long-tongued Bat | |
|---|---|
| A Mexican long-tongued bat drinking from a hummingbird feeder | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Chiroptera |
| Family: | Phyllostomidae |
| Genus: | Choeronycteris |
| Species: | C. mexicana |
| Binomial name | |
| Choeronycteris mexicana Tschudi, 1844 |
|
The Mexican Long-tongued Bat (Choeronycteris mexicana) is a species of bat in the family Phyllostomidae. It is monotypic within the genus Choeronycteris. The species is found in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and the United States.[1]
Mexican long-tongued bats feed on nectar and pollen from agaves and other plants. These bats' tongues can extend up to a third of their body length, a feature which makes them uniquely equipped to reach nectar deep inside an agave or cactus blossom. In southern Arizona, long-tongued bats often get nectar from neighborhood hummingbird feeders as well. In the United States this species is found in the southern parts of California, New Mexico, and Arizona.[1] Their range extends from Mexico through Central America and down to Venezuela. The young are born well-furred for additional warmth in the cool mountain canyons where this species roosts.